1. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates to umbrellas and, more particularly, to umbrellas of the generally large size used outdoors in the patio and garden and commonly referred to as "garden umbrellas".
2. Background Art
The conventional umbrellas and, more particularly, the larger sized patio and garden umbrellas generally are made with rib support system having canopy ribs attached to the umbrella canopy along the entire rib length extending from the top of the umbrella to the lower end of the canopy. Stretcher ribs are connected between the middle portion of the each canopy rib and a runner notch which slides vertically up and down the umbrella pole to extend and retract the canopy ribs to respectively open and close the umbrella. In such conventional umbrella, either a pulley cord or a hand crank system is connected to effect the vertical movement of the ribholder runner notch between its open and closed umbrella positions. Due to the basic stretcher rib, canopy rib and runner notch configuration, there is a considerable force required to open and close the umbrella by moving the ribholder to pivot the stretcher rib and canopy ribs between the fully open and fully closed umbrella positions. This large force requirement, as well as the large travel distance required of the ribholder runner, particularly for the large patio umbrellas, becomes cumbersome for the average umbrella user, particularly in the absence of hand crank pulley systems.
Also, in such conventional umbrellas, the canopy extends its entire length along full length of the canopy ribs and is secured to the ribs. One problem with such umbrella is that the opening of the umbrella requires a significant force to cause the stretcher ribs to push the canopy ribs and the canopy into their stretched, fully open position. Another disadvantage of such umbrellas is that the wind can lift the underside of the full canopy and force it into an inside out configuration, often destroying the canopy and the rib support. With these conventional umbrellas, the size of the umbrella is usually limited to a nine foot diameter in order to avoid the canopy tips from hitting or "sweeping" the table top when closing the umbrella.
Another canopy rib frame configuration comprises canopy ribs pivotally connected to a ribholder runner notch at one rib end while the other rib ends are attached to be received in the ends of the canopy. Here, the canopy ribs extend upward from the ribholder when closing the umbrella. This causes the canopy to extend downward from the top of the umbrella, and fold upward to the outer rim of the canopy at the rib outer ends. This fold in the canopy may act as a collector of water from rain occuring when the umbrella is closed, which water is undesirable since it may add considerable weight to the umbrella and will pour out when the umbrella is opened. This type of umbrella, with its folded canopy, also may have its canopy panels loosely flapping so that rain is permitted to enter the canopy panels when in the closed position. These loose panels also make it difficult to wrap the canopy panels in order to allow a protective cover to slip over the umbrella.